Meditation is a very versatile concept. There are as many benefits to the body as there are ways to meditate. One of my favorites is breathing meditation.
Breathing meditation is one of the easiest to learn, and can take a lifetime to fully master. One of the first things I remember hearing from my meditation instructors was, “You’ve probably been breathing wrong most of your life. Infants know how to breathe, but the moment we learn to talk is the moment we forget our breath.”
The first aspect of breathing meditation is simply paying attention to how we breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth, as deeply and as slowly as you can. Some like to pause between each inhale and exhale.
Take notice of the sensations experienced during each breath. Pay attention to the feeling of air rushing past the tiny hairs inside your nasal passages, the microcosm equivalent of wind through grass in a meadow. Make mental note of feeling the air rush down the throat and into the lungs, slowly filling them up to capacity.
As you exhale, touch the tip of your tongue to the back of your front teeth and notice the sensation of your lungs releasing the toxins in your body with the letting go of each breath. Make note of the air rushing past the sides of your tongue on its way out, past the lips, and out to the world.
With these actions, we remain present in the breath, and not consumed with the problems in our lives. This simple meditation can be expanded with counts for each breath, mantras, or focused intentions.
How do you feel about your breath? Try this meditation out for the days, and see what you think about it. You may find you want to make it a regular part of your daily routine.
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